Waving the system's remark off, Ethan stared at the screen, heart pounding. 'Twin short blades. Returning magic.'
"Holy shit."
He could already picture it—swinging the blades mid-combat, throwing one to take out an enemy, watching it zip back to his hand in an instant.
He let out a breathless laugh. "Okay. Lady Luck, I take it back. We cool."
[Oh, you sweet summer child. You just made it worse.]
Ignoring the system, he retrieved the blades. Slowly unsheathing them, running his hands across the smooth surface of the blade, their silver edges glinting under the moonlight. The runes ran along the hilts, glowing faintly, shifting as he moved.
He stood up from his seat, spinning one in his grip and throwing the other toward the wall opposite the room, with a sharp thud it embedded itself into the wall.
Watching the blade vibrate, a slow grin spread across his face, as the blade raffled before it flew back into his outstretched hands. "Now we're talking."
[Oh, you just ignored me? Cool, cool, two can play that game.]
Suddenly—his body froze in place. He stumbled, nearly face-planting into the floor.
"What the—"
[Oops. Lag spike. Totally not my fault.]
Ethan gritted his teeth. "I swear to god, if I get killed because of your petty revenge"
[Pfft. Like I'd ever let that happen. Who's going to entertain me then?]
Sheathing the blades, he turned his attention to the red marker on the HUD breaking out into a smile. "Time to a hunt a rat."
[Already used that.]
Ethan sighed tiredly, before sneaking out of the house. Following the red dot on the HUD, he soon arrived at his destination. A small cave opposite a stream.
Grabbing the blades, he walked into the cave cautiously. Walking for a few minutes, he noticed the faint glow of a campfire.
Hiding behind a wall, he slowly peeked. Beside the campfire Gareth crouched down on the floor, his teeth hungrily sinking into the skin of a roasted rabbit while muttering unintelligibly, "Damn you Ethan Cross damn you, damn you, damn you."
He looked up, laughing maniacally. "In a few more weeks, I'll get word to Lord Bolton let's see who's laughing last then."
Ethan whispered in the dark. "It's really sad seeing a respected village elder go insane."
Gareth eyes darted around the cave startled. "Is that you Ethan?"
After a brief moment of silence and no response, he stood up cautiously clutching the stick in his hand. "Who's there?"
Another oppressive silence followed.
"Am I going insane? Or—"
Ethan's voice drifted in from another corner of the cave. "Indeed you are."
Gareth gripped his head, eyes darting around frantically after sometime he began laughing wildly, his breathing ragged. "Is this the gods punishing me?"
Ethan whispered from the darkness. "Yes, It definitely is."
Gareth twirled, eyes wide. "SHOW YOURSELF!"
The cave walls seemed to close in on him. As another bout of silence permeated the air, the fire crackling softly beside him.
Glancing across the seemingly empty cave. "This is it, I've lost it, I have truly lost it."
While laughing wildly, Gareth heard the sharp swishing of a blade cutting through the air.
Then he felt a blade lodge into his neck. The blade trembled dislodging from his throat. Gareth gasped, his hands reaching for his neck and clutching it, blood pooling between his fingers.
His body sagged to the floor, eyes glassy with shock. Coughing up blood he stared at the figure approaching, his vision growing dark, he called out weakly. "E—Ethan?"
Crouching down, Ethan wiped the blade against Gareth's tattered cloak. "No, retribution."
The cave fell silent, save for the soft crackling of the fire. Ethan exhaled, staring at Gareth's corpse.
No regret. No guilt. After all it was either Gareth or him.
[Oh wow, you really just murdered an old man in a cave. Brutal. I love it.]
Before Ethan could reply, the screen flickered.
[Mission Complete...]
[Unlocking Mana circuits.]
"Wait!"
[Too late, scream.]
"Arghhh."
Ethan felt a wave of pain cascade through him, like a thousand ants stinging him concurrently, it was unlike anything he had ever felt. His body buckled as he fell on the ground.
He spoke through gritted teeth, his body writhing on the floor. "You...son..of..a..."
After five minutes of intense pain his body spasmed lightly as the pain slowly subsided.
Ethan stared at the notification before him, in a daze.
[Congratulations on gaining Triple elemental affinity.]
[Bonus Perk: Attribute Screen Unlocked.]
His eyes stared at the screen with a dull expression, as it changed again.
[Ethan Cross]
[Realm: Mana Novice]
[Elemental Affinity: Shadow | Fire | Earth]
[Settlement: Cross (Village)]
[Attributes.]
Agility: 10
Stamina: 10
Strength: 10
Soul: 13
After a few minutes, Ethan Gradually sat up his breath heaving. "What was that for!"
[Uhm.. how about a thank you first?]
Glaring at the prompt, his breathing becoming unsteady. "I—have had it with you! Thank you for what?"
[For helping you unlock a tri-elemental affinity, you're welcome.]
"Oh."
[Yeah..oh, ungrateful bitch.]
"Fine I'm sorry."
Getting no response, he smiled. "Oh mighty and benevolent system."
[Good to know you recognise this one's greatness and benevolence.]
Ethan took a shaky breath. His limbs felt lighter but heavier at the same time.
His skin buzzed, every breath felt fuller, deeper, as if he had been unknowingly holding back his entire life.
He felt a slight warm current flowing into his body, like submerging into a warm tub after a long day at work.
His body shivered, his breath trembling as he stood up.
Leaning against the wall his iris glowed red briefly before returning to it's usual black.
Closing his eyes he felt the shadows around the cave, a thought flashed through his mind lighting up his face with a smirk.
[Don't do it.]
The shadows around him pulsed, then enveloped him spitting him out a second later.
Crashing into the cave wall, his body trembled violently as he took in deep breaths in-between gasps. "Shit."
[Told you not to do it.]
Ethan groaned, flipping the system off. Standing back up he felt a light trickle on his lips reaching up he dabbed it. Staring at the blood on his fingers. "Note to self, novels and games don't describe how magic works well enough."
Sitting down on the ground, he crossed his legs, going into a meditative state.
After an hour, his eyes snapped open. Cracking his neck, he walked out of the cave jogging slowly at first before breaking into a run.
Half an hour later he caught the sight of the vilage. Tormund the newly apointed night watch sat by a fire near the edge of the village.
Ethan slowed down merging into the shadows, careful not to alert him or disturb the villagers sleeping, he snuck into this house.
Lying on the bed, exhaustion washed over him as he drifted off to sleep.
Minuets later the door groaned and Anna snuck into the room.
"Hehe."
She walked to his bed quietly climbing onto it cuddling Ethan, her finger running through his hair with an almost crazed expression on her eyes murmuring unintelligibly as she slowly closed her eyes.